Daylight sign



April 15, 1930. E. MCCOLLUM 1,754,565

DAYLIGHT S IGN Filed Sept. 13, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 NvENToR Edward fife-631111122 ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 15, 1930 UNITED STATES EDWARD MCGOLLUM, OF NEW YORK, N, Y.

DAYLIGI-IT SIGN I Application filed September 13, 1928.

This invention relates generally to daylight signs and has more particular reference to a novel daylight sign arranged for moving so as to be attractive and for conveying a larger message than a stationary sign.

The invention has foran object the provision of a device of the class mentioned which is of simple durable construction desir able in use and efiicient in action, and which can be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost.

The invention proposes the use of a flexible sign element preferably made of celluloid or other similar material and colored black except on the letter portions which may be of any color, or may contain no color so as to be transparent. This sign element is arranged for passing across the top of an inclined mirror so that light may pass through the sign element upon the mirror and be reflected outwardsfor making the sign readable. A means is provided for moving the sign element so that onlookers that view the mirror may see the sign moving.

It is pointed out that with a given length of mirror this arrangement provides for conveying a much longer sign message. Furthermore, the motion of the sign is sure to attract passers attention which necessarily makes the sign of greater value.

A casing is used for supporting the mirror and a number of rollers attached thereon to support the flexible sign element. This sign element is continuous and extends over these rollers. The top of the casing is closed by a piece of glass and the flexible sign passes therebeneath permitting light to pass through and onto the inclined mirror. Preferably an electric motor may be used for drivingthe sign element in its motion.

This daylight sign is intended for attachment on motor vehicles or for stationary use in the front of stores, in stores, or in buildings when desirable. For this reason the sign is constructed very firmly and compactly. The addition of the rollers and the flexible sign element does not add materially to the size of the device, the reason for this being that the rollers are arranged for guiding the sign element around the mirror. It is readily Serial No. 305,619.

seen that with this arrangement the length and width of the sign is substantially the length and width of the mirror so that when onlookers, view the sign they see merely a thin frame surrounding the visible sign.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a device constructed according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken on the line 33 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of the top corner of the device as shown in Fig. 2, but with its end casing removed.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a rear frame used in the device.

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of a bracket used in the device, and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of a supporting cradle used in the device.

The reference numeral 10 indicates generally a front frame of substantially rectangular shape and having rounded corners 11 and a rearward projecting flange 12 completely surrounding the central opening of the frame. More specifically stated, this flange consists of top portion 13, a bottom portion 14 and end portions 15. The reference numeral 16 indicates a rear frame of the device similar to the front frame. This rear frame is of substantially rectangular construction and has rounded corners 17, and a flange 18 projecting towards the front and surrounding the central opening of the frame. This flange 18 consists of a top portion 19, a bottom portion 20 and end portions 21.

End plates 22 are secured onto the end portion 15 and 21 for holding the front and rear frames in spaced relation with each other. It is pointed out that this constitutes the main frame portion of the device and very obviously is of firm and sturdy construction. While the front and rear frames may be made of thin metal material, nevertheless, they are of great strength due to the projecting flanges which act as reinforcements for stiffening purposes.

Angle shaped strips 23 are attached onto the front and rear frames along the top flanges 13 and 18. These angle strips are formed with recesses 24 for receiving a plate of glass 25. Holding strips 26 are attached on the angle strips 23 and extend over the edges of the glass plate for holding the same in place. v

A mirror supporting strip 27 is secured within the opening of the front frame 10 and along the bottom portion 14. A second mirror supporting strip 28 is secured along the top portion 19 of the rear frame 16. A mirror 29 is engaged against these supporting stri s and held against displacement by hol ing strips 30 and 31 respectively attached onto the strips 27 and 28. The mirror 29 is thus held in an inclined position extending substantially from the bottom of the front frame to substantially the top of the rear frame.

Light enters between the front and rear frames, passing through the glass 25 and is reflected outwards through the front frame 10. A plurality of standard brackets 32 are attached onto the end plates 22, and onto the ends 15 and 21 at the corners of the front and rear frames. This necessitates eight of these standards in all. Horizontal spindles 33 extend through pairs of these brackets so that there is a spindle at each corner of the device. Rollers 34 are engaged on these spindles. These rollers have end flanges 35, adjacent carrying portions 36, and central reduced portions 37.

A flexible sign element 38 of the type previously described extends over each of these rollers as seen in Fig. 4. The edges of this sign element engage upon the carrying portions 36 and the end flanges merely serve as guide elements.

It is pointed out that the sign element 38 then passes beneath the glass 25 and of course above the mirror 29 and then around the mirror. It is readily seen that the sign element may be moved freely without interference from the mirror or the several parts of the device.

A cradle 40 extends longitudinal of the device and has end flanges 41 secured onto the end plates 22. This cradle is also formed with reinforcing sides 42 extending its full length. These reinforcing sides have cutouts 43 for accommodating a driver roller 44 of the device as hereinafter further described.

A bracket 45 is secured onto this cradle over the center portion thereof and is formed with standards 46 and 47. Standard 46 supports a shaft 48 having a large wheel 49 at one end and a gear 50 on the other end. A belt 51 connects this large wheel with a driver wheel 52 on an electric motor 53 mounted on the cradle 40. The standard 47 supports a shaft 54 having a gear 55 at one end meshing with the gear 50, and a small pulley 56 at its other end.

The pulley 56 is connected by a flexible belt 57 to a second small pulley 58 fixed on a shaft 59 rotatively mounted in the central apertures 60 of brackets 61. These brackets 61 are secured to the front and rear frames 10 and 16 immediately beneath the bottom portions 16 and 20 respectively. The shaft carries a pair of driver rollers 44. Collars 62 are shown attached ontothe shaft 59 and onto the driver wheels 44 for firmly attaching these rollers onto the shaft. Preferably the driver wheels are made from rubber.

The bracket 61 is formed with depending lugs 64 provided with apertures 65 which rotatively support a shaft 66. A fifth roller is mounted on this shaft and the flexible sign element 38 passes between this fifth roller 34 and driver rollers 44.

A bottom U-shaped casing 67 is attached at its upper edges onto the front and rear frames 10 and 16, as at 68-. A pair of end casings 69 engage at each end of the device and are attached onto the front and rear frames 10 and 16 respectively. These end casings are provided at their top edges with abutment strips 70 for engaging against the end of the glass 25 and holding same against displacement. End strips 71 may be attached onto the mirror support strips for holding the mirror against sidewards sliding.

In operation of the device the electric motor 53 is energized and transmits rotation to the wheel 49. The speed of this rotation is then reduced by reason of the gears 50 and 55 and finally communicates with the pulley 56. From 56 the motion continues to the pulley 58 and the shaft 59. As this shaft rotates the driver rollers-44 rotate moving the sign elements 38 by reason of this sign element engaging between the driver rollers and the fifth roller 34.

Light entering the top of the device throughthe glass 25 passes through the sign element 38 and then is reflected outwards by the mirror 29 through the front frame of the device. Onlookers viewing the mirror 29 see a moving sign by reason of the reflection from the mirror. A paper backing 71 is disposed behind the mirror 29 for shielding purposes to prevent jarring from breaking the mirror. As the sign element 38 moves the four corner rollers 34 will rotate thus preventing any possible tension upon this element which might cause damage.

While I have illustrated and described my invention with some degree of particularity, I realize that in practice various alterations therein may be made, I therefore reserve the right and privilege of changing the form of the details of construction or otherwise altering the arrangement of the correlated parts without departing from the spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is: i

1. A daylight sign, comprising a front and rear frame held in spaced relation, a glass plate supported across the top of the frames, a mirror supported at an inclination across the lower portion of the front frame and the upper portion of the rear frame, rollers supported across the corners of the front and rear frames, a flexible translucent continuous sign engaged over the rollers, and end casings extending over the ends of the frames for closing the ends of the device.

2. A daylight sign, comprising a front and rear frame held in spaced relation by end plates, a glass plate supported across the top of the frames, a mirror supported at an inclination across the lower portion of the front frame and the upper portion of the rear frame, rollers supported across the corners of the front and rear frames, a flexible tran lucent continuous sign engaged over the rollers, and end casings extending over the ends of the frames for closing the ends of the device.

A daylight sign, con'iprising a front and rear frame held in spaced relation by end ilates, a glass plate supported across the top of the frames by means of supporting strips attached on the frames, a mirror supported at an inclination across the lower portion of the front frame and the upper portion of the rear frame, rollers siunported across the corners of the front and rear frames, a flexible translucent continuous sign engaged over the roll ers, and end casings extending over the ends of the frames for closing the ends of the device.

i. A daylight sign, comprising a front and rear frame held in spaced relation by end plates, a glass plate supported across the top of the frames by means of supporting strips attached on the frames, a mirror supported at an inclination across the lower portion of the front frame and the upper portion of the rear frame by means of supporting strips attached on the frames, rollers supported across the corners of the front and rear frames, a flexible translucent continuous sign engaged over the rollers, and end casings extending over the ends of the frames for closing the ends of the device.

5. A daylight sign, comprising a front and rear frame held in spaced relation by end plates, a glass plate supported across the top of the frames, a mirror supported at an in clination across the lower portion of the front frame and the upper portion of the rear frame, rollers supported across the corners of the front and rear frames by means of standard brackets attached on the said end plates, a flexible translucent continuous sign engaged over the rollers, and end casings extending over the ends of the frames for closin the ends of the device.

6. A daylight sign, comprising a front and rear frame held in spaced relation by end plates, a glass plate supported across the top of the frames, a mirror supported an inclination across the lower portion of the front frame and the upper portion of the rear frame, rollers supported across the corners of the front and rear frames, a flexible translucent continuous sign engaged over the rollers, a means for driving the flexible sign around 011 the said rollers, and end casings extending over the ends of the frames for closing the ends of the device.

7. A daylight sign, comprising a front and rear frame held in spaced relation by end pistes, a glass plate supported across the top of the frames, a mirror supported at an inclination across the lower portion of the front frame and the upper portion of the rear frame, rollers supported across the corners of the front and rear frames, a flexible translucent continuous sign engaged over the rollers, a means for driving the flexible sign around on the said rollers, and end casings extending over the ends of the frames for clos ing the ends of the device, the said driving means being located behind the mirror and supported on the said end plates.

8. A daylight sign, comprising a front and rear frame held in spaced relation by end plates, a glass plate supported across the top of the frames, a mirror supported at an inclination across the lower portion of the front frame and the upper portion of the rear frame, rollers supported across the corners of the front and rear frames, a flexible translucent continuous sign engaged over the rollers, a means for driving the flexible sign around on the said rollers, and end casings extending over the ends of the frames for closing the ends of the device, the said driving means being located behind the mirror and supported on the said end plates, and a casing for closing the bottom of the device.

9. A daylight sign, comprising a front frame with a rear projecting flange surrounding its opened center, a rear frame with a front projecting flange surrounding its opened center, end plates attached on the ends of the said flanges for holding the frames in spaced relation, a glass plate supported across 7 the tops of the frames, a mirror supported at an inclination across the lower portion of the front frames and the upper portion of the rear frame, rollers supported across the corners of the front and rear frames, a flexible translucent continuous sign engaged over the rollers, and end casings extending over the ends of the frames for closing the ends of the device.

10. A daylight sign, comprising a front frame with a rear projecting flange surrounding its opened center, a rear frame with a front projecting flange surrounding its opened center, end plates attached on the ends of the said flanges for holding the frames in spaced relation, a glass plate supported across the top of the frames, a mirror supported at an inclination across the lower portion of the front frame and the upper portion of the rear frame, rollers supported across the corners of the front and rear frames, a flexible translucent continuous sign engaged over the rollers, end casings extending over the ends of the frames for closing the ends of the device, brackets attached on the inner sides of the front and rear frames, a roller mounted between the brackets, driver rollers supported between these brackets and engaging the said roller, the continuous sign passing between the driver rollers and this roller, and a means for driving the driver rollers.

11. A daylight sign, comprising a front frame with a rear projecting flange surrounding its opened center, a rear frame with a front projecting flange surrounding its opened center, end plates attached on the ends of the said flanges for holding the frames in spaced relation, a glass plate supported across the tops of the frames, a mirror supported at an inclination across the lower portion of the front frame and the upper portion ofthe rear frame, rollers supported across the corners of the front and rear frames, a flexible translucent continuous sign engaged over the rollers, end casing extending over the ends of the frames for closing the ends of the device, brackets attached on the inner sides of the front and rear frames, a roller mounted between the brackets, driver rollers supported between these brackets and engaging the said roller, the continuous sign passing between the driver rollers and this roller, and a means for driving the driver rollers consisting of a shaft supporting the driver rollers, a small pulley fixed thereon, a speed reduction device connected with this pulley, and an electric motor connected with the speed reduction system.

12. A daylight sign, comprising a front frame with a rear projecting flange surrounding its opened center, a rear frame with a front projecting flange surrounding its opened center, end plates attached on the ends of the said flanges for holding the frames in spaced relation, a glass plate supported across the tops of the frames, a mirror supported at an inclination across the lower portion of the front frame and the upper portion of the rear frame,rollers supported across the corners of the front and rear frames, a flexible translucent continuous sign engaged over the rollers, end casings extending over the ends of the device, brackets attached on the inner sides of the front and rear frames, a roller mounted between the brackets, driver rollers supported between these brackets and engaging the said roller, the continuous sign passing between the driver rollers and this roller, and a means for driving the driver rollers, consisting of a shaft supporting the driver rollers, a small pulley fixed thereon, a speed reduction device connected with this pulley by means of a flexible belt, and an electric motor connected with the speed reduction system, a cradle being supported between the end plates and arranged for supporting the motor and the speed reduction device.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 28th day of August, A. D. 1928.

EDlVARD MCCOLLUM. 

